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"It was very kind of you not to have him arrested," Frannie said quietly

To ensure that she was comfortable with him in the coach, and to ensure that the lad didn’t find a way to disappear fro certainly wouldn’t put it past hiht the coach lantern Besides, it gave him the opportunity to see her a little ainst him

"I decided your Scotland Yard friend would liberate hiive him to you anyway, so as the point?"

She s him reason to believe some truth resided in his words, and looked back at the boy, who appeared to be asleep

"So who is this Sykes fellow?" Sterling asked quietly

Rather than answering him, she murmured, "How old do you think he is?"

He was not a student of children, but based on the boy’s size--

"Sohborhood of five"

"I put hiht, possibly nine" She sounded confident of her answer

"He’s too saze, and he saw not only profound sadness but fury as well She was a wo passions and the ability to feel the of her past, was he a bastard for still wanting her in his bed? Knowing he could neverher in his life? "He scours the streets for the smallest of lads, and then works very hard to keep theh so they survive I suspect this one either cah athat is seldom locked because it’s considered too small to allow anyone entry It’s the very reason Sykes works so very hard to keep them so small"

While she spoke, not once did she stop or slow the journey of her fingers through the lad’s hair

"He terrorizes them so they do as they’re told Under his care, they know not the gentle hand of kindness If they fall ill, they get no co their way"

"And he refers to you as a devil?"

She smiled fully then, and he realized she was pleased that Sykes had gone to the trouble of calling her anything at all

"The devil takes on all sorts of shapes," she said

"You’re jabbing sticks at hiive his lads a home when I can find them And yes, I’ve put out word that I provide a safe haven"